Israel has “completely lost the public relations battle,” especially among young social media users, Jewish journalist and former Deutsche Welle correspondent Martin Gak said.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Gak said Israel’s attempts to counter reports of famine and devastation in Gaza with costly international ad campaigns have failed to convince global audiences.
He argued that despite investing millions of dollars in hasbara – a Hebrew term often translated as "propaganda” used to describe Israel’s state-backed messaging abroad – these campaigns are seen less as outreach and more as disinformation.
"At a time of war it’s war propaganda, and at a time of genocide, it's genocide propaganda,” Gak told AA. "They cannot really compete with the images which are coming raw from the people that are documenting their own destruction.”
A large number of Palestinians, including children, gather in order to get food in Nuseirat Refugee Camp, central Gaza, Sept. 3, 2025.
